Magnetic trouble lamp



K. ADAM? ETAI.

` MAGNETIC TROUBLE LAMP Sept. 29, 1953 Filed June 17, 1950 lFig] Arr w67( Patented Sept.

MAGNETIC TROUBLE LAMP Kurt Adamy and Werner 'Btz, Oberrahmede, Germany, assignors to'August vEnders Aktiengesellschaft, Oberrahmede, Germany, a corporation under German laws Application June 17, 1950,` Serial N 0. v168,682

In Germany January28,1950

The invention concerns lampswhich adhere to a support by magnetic attraction, and more particularly lamps of the type knownasy suction or trouble lights, i. e., electrical hand lamps which, by means of a permanent or `electromagnet, will be attracted to an iron base acting as a holder. Magnetic trouble lights are, for instance, used as auxiliary lamps when repairing automobiles and as emergency lampsv upon failing of a headlight or of the light of the license plate.

It is one object of the invention to design magnetic trouble lights in such a Way that they may be collapsible intol a `small volume and easily accommodated, whicheis of decisive importance for use vof the lampas an accessory' in a motor vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp or" the type referred to which in folded conditions is able to stand rough treatment without getting damaged. Y e

Still another object of theinvention is `to prevent the penetrationof dirt as well as the attraction of iron particles and iron chips to the magnet during the transportation of the lamp which is in most cases kept in the tool box. Iron particles which are attracted by the magnet have the effect that, upon use of the lamp, an air gap is formed-between the magnet poles and the base intended to serve as a holder, which y air gap considerably decreases the magnetic flux and thereby the magnetic attraction of the lamp apart from the fact vthat the iron particles and chips are liable to scratch the Varnish Of the. car.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means by which' ythe lamp While 'in use can be adjusted into any position.

With these and further objects in view, according to the present. invention, the magnet; part and the lamp part are by means'of a connecting joint foldable in such a Way that in the folded position the lamp part and the magnet part are abutting each other while being movable relatively to each other in the-operative position of the assembly. Preferably the magnet part and the lamp part are designed in such a Way that, when in folded position, both of them together constitute a self-contained body with a closed or substantially consistent surface, for instance a sphereor barrel-shaped body. In this case the parts may be designed in such a way that the pole surface of the magnet and the protecting glass of the lamp in folded condition face each other and are closed to the outside. The magnet and the lamp may for instance be ar- Claims. (Cl. ,M0-52.15)

ranged in hemispherical or domelike cases Whose rims in-thefolded position are flush with each other, so that the closed trouble lamp attains altogether` a spherical or barrel-.shaped handy form with a casefclosed from al1 sides and taking up little space.

. YAs to the magnet, it is expedientto use a permanent magnet which, in order to reduce the dispersion 0f flux, Imay consist of a solid generated by rotation, with symmetrical axis. In this instance theY case of the magnet is suitably made of ferro-magnetic material and its rim included "into the magnetic flux or the magnet is designed `in vvsuch a way that the rim of the case constitutes one-of the poles.

It is appropriate to construct `thecase of the lamp inthe shape of nected by=-a double joint.

a headlight closed by a protecting glass preferably consisting of unbreakable material.

In order to permit -a suiiicient swinging of the'lamparound the magnet. which is clinging to the baseyboth parts are appropriately con- Preferably the two parts are each provided with one joint ball which joint 'balls are located'at a sufficient distance --in Aa sleeve slotted at' itsl round ends and urged into the joint-sockets by a spring. In the closed position of the trouble lamp the two halves can be automatically kept together by the attraction ofthe -magnet acting on a ferro-magnetic rim or -lling of the protecting glass or onthe lamp case which acts as holder; i

-Other and further objects, features and advantages'of the invention will be pointed out f hereinafter and appear in the appended claims forming partvof the application. @Inthe accompanying drawing a now preferred embodiment' ofthe invention is shown by way of illustration and'not by way of limitation. f'rFig.v 1.1is `a longitudinal section line I-I of Fig. 2 showing the lamp assembly, in a closed condition, l

Fig. 2 is a side View of the lamp with the connecting joint partly in section,

elig, 3 isa top view of the lamp part, without incandescent lamp and lead wires.

Fig. i is a side elevation of the lamp in open position.

Similar reference numerals denote similar parts in the different Views.

The cuplike cases I and 2 of the two parts of the trouble lamp enclose all the parts. The permanent magnet 3 designed as a solid generated by rotation and consisting of a steel alloy with high residual magnetism and attraction is pressed into the case l or fastened in some other way.

The magnetic flux passes from the central magnet pole, having a large pole surface, to the rim of the case, which latter consists of ferro-magnetic material of a high permeability, and closes through the base. The magnet is t to adhere to flat and slightly bent bases. The lamp case 2 is closed by a protecting glass 5 provided with a threaded ring 4 whose protruding rim 20 forms a frame for the magnet case I which, in the closed position of the lamp can engage with its edge I9 the glass 5 within the rim 20. The in candescent lamp 6 is held by contact springs 1 and 8 which are riveted to the insulating disks 9 which in turn are riveted to the case 2. To the contact springs I and 8 is connected a lead wire I which is passed through an opening and, for instance, leads to the battery of the car.

On the two cases I and 2, by means of screws II and I2 and by spacing sleeves, joint-balls I3Y and I4 are fastened which are located in the inwardly turned or contracted round ends of a housing I and urged into their joint sockets by a spring I6. The joint-balls I3 and I4 with their stem members 2I, 22 connecting them to the cases are swingable each by 180 in the slots I1 and I8 at the ends of the housing I5, so that the lamp part can be swung up to 360 in relation to the magnet part as shown in Fig. 4, and can be turned into any position laterally to the swinging plane. lamp on an appropriate surface at any chosen spot near the working place.

In the middle of the protecting glass 5 which reaches closely near to the central pole of the magnet there can be inserted a ferro-magnetic material, for instance, in the shape of a flourish, brand or signature which isl attracted by. the magnet 3 and so keeps the two halves of the lamp together when in collapsed or closed position. The closed position may, for instance, also be ensured by the rim of the lamp case 2 reaching over sufficiently near to case I of magnet 3.

The incandescent lamp 6 may also be fed by a dry battery housed in the lamp part which in this case is correspondingly enlarged. Likewise the magnet may be designed differently, or integrally with the case, or as an electro-magnet.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A magnetic trouble lamp comprising two substantially cup-shaped cases, an electric lamp located within the first one of said cases, a magnet in said second case,'for the attachment of the lamp to a base by magnetic attraction, said This allows for the attaching of the cases having interengageable rims, each case including a laterally projecting ball-headed stem, an elongated hollow member having inner partspherical faces at both its ends in which said ball heads, respectively, are swivelingly received, and a compression spring within said hollow member and bearing on both said ball heads so as to urge them against said faces, said cases having one end position in relation to each other in which said rims engage one another and said cases complement each other to an entirely closed hollow body.

2. A lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ends of said member are slotted in the same plane, said stems projecting through said slots respectively, and said slots being of a length to permit each of said stems to swing through 3. A lamp as claimed in claim 1, said first case including ferro-magnetic material, whereby said magnet tends to hold said cases together when in said end position.

4. A magnetic trouble lamp comprising two substantially cup-shaped cases, an electric lamp located within the first one of said cases, a magnet in said second case, each case including a laterally projecting ball-headed stem, an elongated hollow member having inner part-spherical faces at both its ends in which said ball heads are swivelingly received, a compression spring within said hollow member and bearing on both said ball heads so as to urge them against said faces, and a glass-like closure sealingly attached to said first case, said cases having an end position in relation to each other in which the rim of said second case bears on said closure of said first case so as to close also said second case, whereby said closure constitutes a partition of said cases in said end position.

5. A lamp as claimed in claim 4, said magnet having a pole facing said closure when said cases are in said end position, and said closure including ferromagnetic matter subjected to attraction by said magnet in said end position.

' KURT ADAMY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

